Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I’ve talked before about what a fantastic cook my brother-in-law is. He puts me to shame and I went to school for it for goodness sake. Recently he made fried chicken for his family that my sister absolutely raved about, so I had to make it myself. Oh my goodness it lived up to the hype! I loved how simple it was to really let the ingredients shine. I don’t think it gets much better than classic buttermilk fried chicken.

First, I let the chicken thighs sit in the buttermilk and seasoning for 2 hours. That really allowed the chicken to absorb all of the flavor. The acidity in the buttermilk also helps tenderize the chicken.
Once the chicken finished marinating in the buttermilk, I dredged it through a flavorful seasoned flour. I made sure to let any excess buttermilk drip off to keep it as neat as possible, and then also shook off any excess flour. That was all there was to prepping the chicken thighs!
Then I fried the chicken in 2 batches of 5 so that the pan wasn’t overcrowded. It took 5 minutes on each side for the chicken to cook through and become golden perfection on the outside. To be safe, I used a meat thermometer to make sure each piece reached 165 degrees internally.

I just served the chicken immediately with our favorite sides and it was a huge hit!! Marc went nuts for it. This is also great to pack up for a picnic and eat at room temperature while enjoying the outdoors. Hope you all enjoy it, many thanks to my wonderful brother-in-law for the inspiration! xoxo

Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken
5 from 3 votes
Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
24 mins
Marinating Time
2 hrs
Total Time
39 mins
 

Fried chicken is a quintessential classic! This is my brother-in-law's incredible version using chicken thighs and a fantastic seasoned flour dredge. 

Course: Main Course
Keyword: Fried Chicken, Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Servings: 10 pieces
Calories: 664 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 10 whole boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons salt divided
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper divided
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • canola oil as needed for frying
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken thighs, buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. Put the bowl in the refrigerator covered for 2 hours to really marinate the chicken. When the marinating time is up, combine the flour, remaining salt, remaining pepper, garlic powder and paprika in another bowl and whisk it all together. Then get out a large skillet with deep sides and fill it with about 3 inches of oil. Heat it over medium heat and use a deep fry thermometer to make sure the temperature reaches and stays around 350 degrees.

  2. While the oil heats up, dredge each piece of chicken through the flour mixture, letting any excess buttermilk drip off first. Once you dredge them, put them on a plate to hold them until it's frying time. Then fry them in two batches of 5 for 5 minutes on each side to get them really crisp and brown on the outside and cooked through. To be really safe, you can use a meat thermometer to make sure each piece reaches 165 degrees internally. Transfer the pieces to a paper towel lined plate as they fry to drain, then serve with your favorite sides!

Nutrition Facts
Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Amount Per Serving (2 pieces)
Calories 664 Calories from Fat 430
% Daily Value*
Fat 47.8g74%
Saturated Fat 3.9g24%
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 1035mg45%
Potassium 228mg7%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Fiber 1.8g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 16.3g33%
Calcium 100mg10%
Iron 2.7mg15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken

12 thoughts on “Simple Buttermilk Fried Chicken”

  1. Sometimes it’s the simplest of recipes that are the best. This sounds delicious. I’ll have to make this sometime soon!

  2. 5 stars
    You are so right. It doesn’t get any better than buttermilk fried chicken. Yours looks so incredibly crispy! I’m going to be using this recipe (with a gluten free flour). This will be perfect for Sunday supper!

  3. I love a simple recipe that allows the main ingredient to shine. I’m going to try it with tofu. 🙂

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